What is the velocity of a rod released inside a cart?

Click For Summary

Homework Help Overview

The problem involves a rod of mass m attached to the ceiling of a cart of mass 6m, which is initially at rest. The task is to determine the velocity of the rod with respect to the cart when the rod becomes vertical after being released, considering it can rotate about its point of suspension.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the conservation of energy and momentum, questioning the completeness of kinetic energy considerations, particularly regarding rotational kinetic energy. There are inquiries about the setup of the problem and the interpretation of the velocity of the rod with respect to the cart.

Discussion Status

Some participants have offered guidance regarding the inclusion of rotational kinetic energy in the calculations. Multiple interpretations of the problem setup are being explored, and there is no explicit consensus on the correct approach yet.

Contextual Notes

There are indications that the problem statement may lack clarity regarding the point of reference for measuring the rod's velocity and whether all forms of kinetic energy have been accounted for in the original poster's attempt.

Titan97
Gold Member
Messages
450
Reaction score
18

Homework Statement


[/B]
A rod of mass m is attached on the ceiling inside a cart of mass 6m kept at rest. Length of rod is L. Find the velocity of rod with respect to cart when the rod becomes vertical after releasing it. The rod is free to rotate about its point of suspension.
Untitled.png


Homework Equations


Conservation of energy and momentum

The Attempt at a Solution


With respect to earth, let velocity of center of mass of rod be ##v_1## and velocity of cart be ##v_2##.
Using COE,
$$mg\frac{l}{2}=\frac{1}{2}mv_1^2+\frac{1}{2}(6m)v_2^2$$
Since centre of mass remains at rest, ##mv_1=6mv_2##
$$V_1=\sqrt{\frac{7}{6}gl}$$
So ##v_{\text{rel}}=\frac{v}{6}+v##
But I am not getting the correct answer.
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
Is one end of the rod attached to the ceiling of the cart so that the rod is free to rotate about this end?
Did you account for all of the KE of the rod?

Also, the problem statement doesn't specify which point of the rod is used when finding the "velocity of rod with respect to cart".
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Titan97
@TSny question edited. They have used concept of reduced mass to solve it. But wrong in my method?
 
You have left out some of the KE of the rod.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Titan97
Oh. Is it the rotational kinetic energy?
 
Titan97 said:
Oh. Is it the rotational kinetic energy?
Yes.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Titan97
Hello , I get ##\frac{\sqrt{21gl}}{5}## as the answer .Is this what I should be getting ?
 
conscience said:
Hello , I get ##\frac{\sqrt{21gl}}{5}## as the answer .Is this what I should be getting ?
Yes, I believe that is the correct speed of the center of the rod relative to the cart when the rod is vertical.
 
Thanks
 

Similar threads

Replies
10
Views
3K
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
1K
  • · Replies 40 ·
2
Replies
40
Views
5K
Replies
15
Views
2K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
3K
Replies
38
Views
4K
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
2K
Replies
21
Views
3K
  • · Replies 24 ·
Replies
24
Views
4K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K